


Red

by Crimsonyxx



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Romance, Blood and Violence, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Force Soulmates, Hurt/Comfort, Manipulative Relationship, Moral Ambiguity, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader-Insert, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Suspense, Unhealthy Relationships, Vigilante Joker (DCU)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:35:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23392597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crimsonyxx/pseuds/Crimsonyxx
Summary: Red; the color of his painted lipsRed; the color of the blood he spilledRed; the color of your fateYou gazed at your hand as they slowly retreated from your face. Looking at the string circling your finger and followed it through. For the first time in your life you felt something so foreign yet familiar at the same time. Tugging at your heart. For the first time you felt something inside of you burned as the thread was no longer limp. No longer heading to nowhere.But now-It ended up in his.His finger.Him.The Joker.
Relationships: Joker (DCU) & You, Joker (DCU)/Reader, Joker (DCU)/You, Joker/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 116





	1. One

In this world there's a system. A whole intricate system in which every person was destined with one another.

A system called soulmates.

Indicated by the red string of fate, or so they called it, wrapped around each and every pinky finger of anybody who walked the earth. The string purposely led towards your chosen one, whoever that may be. Some people met theirs when they're still kids, many met at their adults, the others when they barely able to walk anymore. It was truly an unpredictable and an unexplainable occurrence.

You in particular were still waiting, still searching for your one and only. You personally liked the idea of having someone out there that's specifically made for you, and only you. The thought often made you fell asleep with a smile across your face. Somewhat eager to meet the man of your dreams.

And that explained why almost everybody here were standing with their partner. And you on the other hand, were alone.

Alone but proud.

Although you must admit, you felt a little jealous. Just a teenie tiny bit though.

"Ah miss (y/n)! Fancy seeing you here!"

_Ah. That's Linda._

You grimaced slightly before putting on a smile.

"Linda! How are you?" Linda grinned coyly at that. Brushing her wave of golden locks behind her shoulder.

"I've been good. So good even. Ever since my husband took over the crane enterprises it's been nothing but rainbows lately" she giggled. You responded by laughing lightly, taking a sip of the champagne you had on your hand.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that" she breathed out a contempt thank you before shifting her foot, baring her chest towards you in an almost dominating manner.

"What about you sweetheart? I heard, uh, your company has taken a low blow recently. Are you alright, dear?"

_Oh here we go again._

You rolled your eyes inwardly. So much for the flaunting and fake concern. You curled your lips up in the sweetest way, voice laced with false tenderness.

"It's so flattering of you to worry about me and my company. But I can assure you" you took a step forward.

"That we've already taken care of it." she faltered slightly at your actions, her smile wavered.

"Oh? It's wonderful then! Truly wonderful! I was just worried that you might have been so stressed after the whole ordeal. After all it's like a nightmare even for me" she babbled anxiously and endlessly trying to assert her intentions as you took another sip of your drink. Smirking to yourself.

"Thank you for your concern miss Linda, but like I just said,"

"It's already been taken care of" you gave your best smile forward, your eyes possibly glinted with malice. Linda nodded and flashed one nervous smile your way before making a beeline and went out of your sight. Seeing your unwavering respond probably put her attempts in shame.

_Sigh._

_Poor girl._

_At least put up a good fight if you ever decided to front._

You scoffed and rolled your eyes for real this time. Taking another swig from the glass and placing it down. The evening went on and on with more empty conversations that almost bored you to death.

Almost.

But to maintain your reputation, you grit your teeth and bared through it all. Even though it's as clear as day what exactly their intentions were. Empty praises and ignorant laughs. All for the sake of image and power.

That's the kind of world you live in.

It's not long before the man of the party came. Displaying his obnoxious amount of wealth by coming from a private helicopter. Taking top notch models in both of his arms with that charming smile. Well, he was a big deal after all. And being invited to a party made by none other than _the_ Bruce Wayne undoubtedly felt nice. Even though you have to deal with the bullshits that came with it.

It's all worth it, in a way.

Unfortunately, your string didn't end up on him, despite how bad you wanted it to be. It's like every woman's dreams, to be bounded by unworldly force to the heartthrob conglomerate. Good looks, wealth, title, power, all of that in one package. Who wouldn't want that?

Everyone in the room then raised their glass in the name of the new DA. Harvey Dent. The white knight of Gotham. The reason all of these people including you were gathered there. Apparently Wayne trusted him enough to do a fundraising. You eyed the man from the side. His smile dashed with a certain sense of justice and security, you couldn't really put it into words. You took another sip of your drink.

You actually couldn't care less about the whole Gotham situation as long as your business went well. And as much as you're concerned it's been good with or without him. It's only a matter of time before the corruption took over that facade of his.

Like every other person before and after him.

After the cheering had passed, you excused yourself to the bathroom. Taking a breather from the revolting laughter and conversations. You gazed at yourself in the mirror and sighed.

It's true that your business had taken a blow. And apparently that's all they cared about. One less competitor in the market. Even though you had dealt with it, there's no denying about the damage it has caused. You grunted lowly and gazed at your reflection. It's only been a few hours and you're already so drained.

_It's alright._

No matter how many times you fell, you always got back up. You always sorted things out. And it's not any different this time.

_You'll get up and you'll show them how it's done._

Nodding to your own reflection you went back to the room.

Ready to tackle world.

When you said the world it didn't include a man with purple suit and painted face storming all over the place. It certainly didn't include the said man, waving a gun and a knife nonchalantly, as if he was playing with a toy. You gripped your glass tightly while you watched in terror as he circled around the room. His voice boomed amongst the eerie silence, demanding to see the one and only Harvey dent.

But the man in question was nowhere to be seen.

Your heart was beating rapidly. You could barely even move a muscle as the man known as Joker continued on his prancing. The image of him made your stomach churn with anxiety.

It didn't take long before a woman stepped up. Rachel Dawes you believe. The man immediately stopped his assault, studied her figure before sauntering over. Fixing his unruly disheveled hair with his knife.

Nobody made a move as he barely grazed her face. The blade of his knife so unbearably close. Forcing her to look at him. Nobody did anything at all when he kept talking and talking with the unsettling tone of his voice.

And neither did you.

You just stood there, struck as you held your own breath. Watching with fear, hoping that someone, _anyone_ would come to the rescue.

And as if he could read your mind, the batman appeared, punching the clown right in his gut. You felt awash with relief. Now that he's here there's nothing to worry about. He's going to save you. He's going to save _all of you._

But the scene that followed took your heart in a vice grip. All hell broke loose as joker's henchman and himself fought against the batman. Amidst the fighting however, he failed to notice that the joker had already taken purchase of Rachel once again. Your breath was caught in your throat as you watched the scene unveiled. The joker shot the window behind him and proceeded to throw her down the building.

You gasped loudly at that. Your hand went over your mouth as you almost failed to balance the drink in your hand. You watched in horror as the clown laughed with pure mirth and excitement as the batman soon followed her demise.

But right then and there you realized something oh so very....

ironic.

You gazed at your hand as they slowly retreated from your face. Looking at the string circling your finger and followed it through. For the first time in your life you felt something so foreign yet familiar at the same time. Tugging at your heart. For the first time you felt something inside of you burned as the thread was no longer limp. No longer heading to nowhere.

But now-

It ended up in his.

His finger.

Him.

_The Joker._

You couldn't believe yourself as you blinked rapidly. Gazing at your hand and his back and forth.

_This couldn't be possible._

_This was so wrong on so many levels._

Maybe you're too drunk and started seeing things that weren't even there.

Your breaths started to quicken as you gazed at him. Stunned at the fact that was presented to you.

The joker himself seemed to have noticed something as well. The sensation made him snap his gaze all across the room abruptly, making the guests cower in fear.

It's as if he was searching for something.

_Someone._

When his attempts had failed, only then the string caught his attention. He took a second glance towards it and peered into his hand. The world seemed to have stopped moving at that moment. Everything was playing in a slow motion. From the way his dark orbs followed the red line, ever so slowly,

deliberately,

until it finally landed on you.

Piercing you with the sheer intensity of it.

Your breath instantly hitched. Even from the considerable distance between the two of you, you knew he was looking directly at your figure. And for the first time ever,

_you were scared for your life._

It felt like forever before his face broke into a wicked grin. And he giggled almost too loudly as his shoulders shook violently. Striding towards you with the utmost glee, you could feel a lump started forming in your throat. Panic wrecked your system with every step he took. Your breaths went harsher as he got closer. The blackness of his eyes seemed to have consumed you whole as your body shuddered in his presence. Unable to budge.

His smirk was firmly in place as he gazed at the string connecting the two of you. The people around you had already moved away, securing the space for him to freely prey on his next victim.

His tongue darted out to wet his red lips. Smacking his lips together as his disturbing smile remained.

"Well hello, _darling_ " he emphasized his last word, rolling it deliberately with his tongue. His tone sent terrible shivers down your spine as you instinctively closed your lids. Another eternity had passed as the clown studied you intensely.

Never have you imagined yourself to be in the same situation as Rachel was just moments ago.

But back then, the batman came and rescued her. Even jumped out of a building to do so.

And now that he's gone,

_who's gonna save you?_

You cursed your wretched thought before the joker finally hummed.

"You're, ah, gonna have to come with _me_ now" he finished as he swiftly turned you around so that your back was met with his chest. His knife instantly went to your neck. One false move and you could kiss your life goodbye. The whole situation immediately turned for the worse as he dragged you around. Your knees immediately turned into jelly and your body went rigid. Your heart thumped so loud you could literally hear it in your ears. You let out an involuntary whimper as he made his way to the elevator.

"Sh sh sh sh. Don't cry, little kitten" he whispered lowly right at your ear. The timbre of his voice plummeted every courage you ever had.

This is it.

Your life has come to a tragic end.

He's going to take you hostage and possibly kill you after. Knowing the joker, the man has zero mercy. Does he even know that word? Mercy?

Never have you thought that your life would be taken away from you at the hands of none other than your soulmate.

The person you've been longing for all of your life.

_Your one and only._

It's as if the world was joking with you. Toying with your very being and existence.

The joker got close to you again. So close that you could feel the marred skin of his face rubbed against your ear. His breath fanned your skin before he spoke.

"Don't worry, doll."

"We're gonna have a lot of _fun_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes hello again! I've been so into Heath's joker lately that I can't stop wanting to write something about it. And also I've been so inspired by Heath himself that I'm still heartbroken by his passing 💔 he's truly an incredible person and actor. 
> 
> And yeah actually I'm still not sure on how this story will go but I hope you guys would hop on this journey together! Hope you guys enjoyed this!


	2. Two

_"Don't worry, doll"_

_"We're gonna have a lot of fun"_

The Joker and you certainly had a huge difference in perspective to the word fun. Yours for example were associated with good food, drinking with friends, even possibly karaoke. But _his_ apparently, included bindings, blindfolds and gags. Don't forget the knife that's ready to bite into your skin at any given time. The man himself was in a state of pure glee as he proceeded with his actions. His fits of giggles would sometimes erupt in the process.

"Don't worry, little kitty" he spoke with his unsettling voice. He tapped your cheek a few times. Maybe the gesture was supposed to soothe you. But it certainly failed as you were a sobbing mess by the end of it. Pleading and begging in hushed whispers for him to let you go.

And to your surprise,

he actually did.

You were left on the street as he and his goons scurried off to god knows where. Leaving you in the dark, bounded, and crying with nowhere to go. It felt like forever before someone finally came and freed you. You were still utterly shocked by the events that took place, unable to form words as people started to surround you. Asking you tons of questions you couldn't even hear. You were brought to the station briefly before they escorted you back to your apartment. Once you’ve locked the door, all of your strength instantly left your body. Your legs immediately gave out, leaving you slumped against the door frame.

What just happened?

What _really_ just happened?

All of it felt like a dream.

A nightmare.

From the moment the witch attempted to make fun of you, to the joker arriving, then the batman showed up and left just as quickly.

And to the fact that your soulmate was none other than the clown prince of crime himself.

And most importantly, the fact that you could have lost your life at his hands.

_As easily as that._

You held your face in frustration. Your chest felt heavy and it's getting harder for you to breathe. Overwhelmed by the whole situation you're in. You brushed the fallen tears that have managed to escape. Gathering whatever strength that was left, you headed to your bedroom. Not even bothering to change or wash up. It's been a hell of a day and you just wanted to sleep. To sleep and forget.

You couldn't sleep.

It's 3 am and you couldn't sleep.

Not when every time you closed your lids, his face appeared.

Not when every time you were about to drift off, his voice whispered.

It felt as if he was still right there beside you.

You sat in your bed. Exasperated and undoubtedly fatigued. It's been almost a week since the incident. And every single day, you couldn't sleep well. It's surely normal for a person that just went through a traumatic experience but in your gut, you knew something felt different. You couldn't even spend a day without thinking of him. Without being curios about his whereabouts.

And that sounded completely and utterly ridiculous coming from you.

**_Absolutely ridiculous._ **

And you hated the fact that the joker has certainly left a lasting imprint on your mind, whether you liked it or not.

You gazed at the red string slowly as you twirled sluggishly in your chair. The thought of him haunting your mind. There's absolutely nothing fair in this whole situation. If this was a joke of the universe then you didn't want it. Who in their right minds would want a psychotic, murderous clown to be their partner for life? You groaned to yourself. It’s been nothing but headaches and groans for you lately.

And you just wanted it.to. _stop._

Just then someone knocked on your door. Startling you from your train of thoughts. You muttered a come in before she made herself known. It was your assistant, Grace.

"Good evening boss, here's a report for the progress with our next launching. It's looking pretty good despite the tragedy that just took place-"

"Say, Grace. You are married now, aren't you?" the blonde raised an eyebrow at your question. Certainly it was not the one she's expecting at all.

"Yes, I am?"

You huffed loudly. Her clear confusion was totally acceptable. It's usually not your style to be conversing about anything other than work. But today's an exception.

"And he is your, em, soulmate yes?" the term made your mouth went dry.

"Well of course he is! I believe I had already told you that when I first met him, boss"

"Yeah right. Um so-" you clenched and unclenched your fist while nervously biting your lips.

"Do you mind telling me, how was it like when you first met him?"

The glint in her eyes was evident at the mention of their meeting. She was beaming with excitement as you gestured her to sit down.

"Well I don't know why you're suddenly asking about this but, ehm our first meeting was like my best day ever"

You grimaced to yourself. You couldn't say the same about yours.

"When I first saw Thomas it was like something inside me just snapped. Telling me that he's the one"

Well... That's true. Even though the whole process of the figuring out was such a nightmare.

"And then Thomas himself seemed to have realized it as well you know? He immediately approached me. We were complete strangers back then"

Hm. True. You didn't want to recall the way _he_ approached you though.

"And after that we exchanged numbers and chatted for a little bit before parting ways. But, I started to miss him every day he's not around"

**_Oh. No_ **

**_No._ **

"I couldn't even sleep properly. All I could think about was him."

**_No. Please no._ **

"And then when we finally meet again, he confessed that he was feeling the same thing!"

**_Oh god._ **

"And then we got married not too long after that!" she gleefully ended her story. Looking completely lovesick as she smiled, reminiscing about her love. Your headache just doubled at that. Bringing your fingers to your temple, your applied slight pressure in attempt to ease the pain.

"So, uh, this whole soulmate thing. Certainly there's someone out there who doesn't want to accept or to be with their chosen one right?"

Grace furrowed her eyebrows at your question. She couldn't make sense of the sentence you're uttering.

"Why wouldn't they?"

"I mean like, there has to be someone who's not satisfied with their mates right? Maybe... because of appearances or, or, maybe it just didn't meet their standards?"

Her expression turned thoughtful at that, lips pursed together as she tried to recall anything about the matter. You certainly hoped that at least _someone_ out there was in the same boat as you were. It couldn't be just you that had such an unfortunate fate in this world, right?

"Well I've heard of some cases like that but from what I know, in the end, they still end up with each other."

Your whole world crumbled at that. You sighed loudly as you leaned back in your chair. If Linda were to come and made fun of the situation you're in right now You wouldn't have anything left to retort. You were screwed.

_So so screwed._

You decided to spend longer hours in your office. Distracting yourself with work in order to stop thinking about the damn clown and the misery you're in. Being home would only fuel your thoughts to wonder around and possibly be more miserable than you were now. You huffed loudly as you finished another task.

It was pretty late at night when you finally went out of your room. A couple of people were still working as well. Seeing their boss being such a workaholic would probably boost their work ethic too. So it's like killing two birds with one stone. You tried to cheer yourself up as you headed to the toilets.

Yes.

Yes.

There's no benefit in wondering and being angry at the world when there's nothing you could do about it. Maybe this whole thing will pass and you could go on your day as usual. Like before he came crashing down into your life.

Like the way it should be.

You came back to your room and noticed that your chair was facing the wall behind it. That's certainly strange. You were almost sure you didn't leave it like that.

Well almost.

Maybe you're too tired and did leave it turned that way. This whole insomnia and stress weren’t doing you any good. You should probably head back soon.

You walked to your chair before the said object spun and a figure revealed himself, startling you.

"Uh, hi" he spoke, stretching his lips and scars altogether.

It was him.

It was the clown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So actually I wasn't planning to post this chapter today but I just feel like I have to. Today is April 4th, it's Heath's birthday and I wanna, in some way commemorate it with this update (which is kinda ironic because there's barely any joker interaction in this chap 😔) but I still wanna do it because I might not have the chance again. He's an incredible human being and such and Inspiration to many people and to me until this very day. He would've turned 41 this year. It's still saddens me even though I only came to love him recently. That just shows how lovely he was as a person. Gone but never forgotten 💔  
> And yeah sorry for the lack of joker interaction in this one. The next chap will be full of it!! Oh and also, if you realize I've been using peaky blinders character names because i suck at naming people lol 😂 😂 i hope you guys enjoyed this one too!!  
> Stay safe and healthy!  
> (And sorry for this long rant)


	3. Three

You instantly froze. Your brain failed to register the shock as neither of you moved. The joker only smirked at you as he raised an eyebrow. Licking the corner of his scarred lips while he waited almost patiently for you to react. And as if your brain had finally clicked together, you immediately tried to reach the door,

but he was way faster than you.

You were pinned down to the wall with his gloved hand covering your mouth in a split second. Your chest heaving harshly at the action.

"Ah ta ta ta... We wouldn't want anyone to interrupt our, uh, _fateful_ meeting now, would we?" he grinned widely. His scars made the gesture ten times more terrifying. Your heart rate was probably out the roof by now. Your head spun as the joker smacked his lips, his dark eyes gazing sideways. Looking like he was thinking about something. His orbs then snapped to the string in his finger before roughly bringing yours up to his eye level. The sound that escaped his throat then was nothing other than feral.

"Ya see-" he dangled your hand repeatedly.

"This, this, uh... _thing_ , really bothers me" he locked his gaze to yours. Boring into you.

"As you know, I've got a, uh, city to take. And time is tickin'. Fassst." He tilted his head as he spoke unbearably close. His orbs fixated their gaze in yours while he licked his overly red lips.

"But ever since our lil'... meeting my mind can't stop - it can't stop thinking."

"About this"

He violently shook the string intertwining both of your fingers

"It's like... going at a full speed inside of a quicksand. Do ya' know how that feels? Hmmm doll? Do ya'?" he shoved himself close again. Invading your space as he spoke.

"It keeps draggin' you down with it. No matter how much you struggle. No matter how much you try to. _Make. It. Sto-p._ " He gesticulated frantically. Speaking from gritted teeth as he moved your head left and right.

"Isn't that weird? I think it is. I think it's really _really_ weird." He growled the words out. The kind of voice you heard on the news. His tone got dangerously harsh and low. Your poor heart couldn't take this kind of treatment. Sweat starting to form on your back and forehead despite the cold blasting ac.

"So, I came to a, uh, _conclusion_. Would you, ah- would you like to know what it is?" the joker raised his eyebrows suggestively. Waiting for some sort of response but you couldn't even come up with one. His tongue darted out before he continued.

"I'm just gonna have to get rid of the source."

"After all we have to, uh, target the main cause of every problem now, don't we?"

_Is he-_

_Is he referring to you?_

In a flash, the blade of his knife was pressed against your throat. You yelped instinctively but the sound was effectively muffled by his palm.

"Sh sh sh sh. Don't worry kitty. I'll make this quick" his tongue dragged on his lower lips as his orbs loomed over your figure. You were breathing harshly as you felt the pressure of the sharp metal against your skin.

_You're going to die at this rate._

_You're going to really die because of him._

But what you dreaded the most never came. It was like everything was put on pause. Neither of you moved a muscle as the joker himself was seemingly frozen. His dark orbs burning into the knife he placed on your neck. But he never moved it any further.

You were hyperventilating when something took over. Rage and anger just lunged out of your being as you found the strength to bite the hand covering your mouth the entire time. The joker almost instantly retracted his palm and grimaced at the pain.

"Ow ow ow, that hurt"

You were insanely furious while you glared at the man. You just couldn't believe that he had the _audacity_ for even wanting to kill you when you’re the one who's completely stressed by the whole ordeal.

"Do you think you have the right to kill me when I'm the one who should've done so?!" your voice trembled as you panted loudly. You didn't know if it was because of rage or fear and frankly at that moment you didn't care anymore.

"I've waited all my life for this, only to find out that I am bound to a psychotic murderous crazy clown!! Do you- do you think that you're the only one who couldn't do shit because of this?! I've got a company to run and I couldn't even fucking sleep!" you knew you sounded like a whining child but it’s as if your frustration for the past days was bubbling up to the surface and you just couldn't hold it in any longer.

"And frankly I'm the one who should get you arrested or maybe killed for everything you've done up until now! Have you- have you even thought about that?!" you were panting at the end of your rant.

The joker just stood by and listened. His expression was filled with amusement before he broke into a burst of laughter, and he sounded too pleased for your liking.

"What a, ah- marvelous speech ya' got there, lil' kitten." he sighed loudly by the end of his fit and plopped down back to your chair. You looked at him cautiously. Your system was still on high alert from the danger he emitted. The man himself was the epitome of danger. Your brain started making out many scenarios you could possibly carry out. But then, what happened next was beyond any expectations.

The joker started to twirl around in your chair. Humming to himself all the while.

You didn't know how to react to this.

You didn't know how to react to his erratic behavior.

And you didn't know why his simple gesture still looked awfully terrifying despite him looking like a preschooler on a jolly ride.

_What exactly is happening right now?_

The joker finally stopped spinning after what seemed like an eternity. His fingers drummed the armrest repeatedly with jerky movements. His eyes darted around the room before finally landing on you.

_Maybe it's time to actually do something to get him out of your office instead of standing still like an idiot._

Just before you started to move, the joker nonchalantly opened one of your drawers and took out a bottle of wine with its glass. You were completely dumbfounded by his action as you watched the man pour the liquid and immediately chug it down. A loud groan erupting from his throat.

"That's... my wine" was the only thing you could mutter. The joker raised his eyebrow insinuatingly at your remark.

"Oh, isn't this what, ah, _soulmates_ do? Hm? _Sharing things_?" his fore finger rotated around as he spoke. He tilted his head to the side as he took another gulp and licked his lips.

"Because apparently we even share a, uh, _soul._ " he continued as he chugged down a considerable amount of wine. As if he wanted to drink his stress away. 

_Stress?_

_What does he know about stress?_

_What does the joker know about that word?_

And that's your wine.

"Although I must admit, I was disappointed when I saw your booze collection. I was expecting something stro-"

You cut his words off as you roughly took the bottle out of his grasp and quickly gulped its contents down. If he was startled, he surely didn't show any signs of it. The joker only snickered at your actions.

"Heh heh... feisty little thing aren't ya" you burned your gaze towards him as you slammed the bottle down. You didn't even know why you had the courage to face him like that. But it didn't faze him, not even a little bit. The clown only opened the drawer, retrieved another bottle and proceeded to open it casually. Pouring its content before slurping them down again.

"Oh and by the way, I've sent your, ah, minions away. Wouldn't want them inter-rupting our lovely night" you narrowed your eyes at his statement.

"What do you-?"

The joker threw his arms wide. His smile stretched the horrible scars that marred his face.

"It's just you and me tonight, love. Isn't it _exciting_?" he giggled at his own words while taking another swig. Unable to process the whole thing, you kept silent once again. Does that mean your chance of survival is basically zero? That there's no one out there to save you?

The joker nodded knowingly as he continued.

"Ah, I know, I know what you're thinking." he pointed his gloved finger at you.

"I'm such a, uh, roman-tic guy, aren’t I, doll?" you couldn't retort back as you eyed the man before you. Feeling so alienated by his presence. Your lips were unconsciously pulled down into a scowl as you pondered many possibilities in your head.

"How could you possibly-"

"Shush, kitty. Shush." he pressed a finger against your lip abruptly before rising to his feet. His body towering over yours once again. And the fear that gnawed at your heart came back in waves. You seemingly had forgotten _who_ exactly you were dealing with.

His dark orbs focused on yours intensely. The black around his eyes just made them look more terrifying as they glinted dangerously. You held your breath as he got even closer. You could smell his distinct scent at the close proximity. Gasoline and gunpowder mixed with his own musk.

Your lips trembled slightly and he definitely noticed it.

"Heh heh. Why so tense, doll?" he tapped your cheeks a few times. Peering into your orbs with laced worry.

"Ya' gotta loosen u-p." he whispered the sentence in your ear with a loud pop and retracted back to the chair. His deep voice sent shivers all over your body. The joker casually poured more wine into the glass. You instantly exhaled when he left your space.

"Sit and drink."

The way he said it was more like a command. The timbre of his voice low and gravelly. You picked the bottle up with shaking hands. Staggering backwards to the couch just a few feet beside your desk and sat down. The joker seemed pleased with your obedience as he purred.

"Good girlllll."

Your chest was heaving as you drank the wine that you've been saving for a while now. But you could barely taste it in this situation. The joker never took his gaze off of you as he drank.

"That's it. You need more booze to loosen up" he spoke before fishing for another bottle. Your brows furrowed at his actions but you could only watch helplessly as he opened another bottle. The joker sauntered over to you and placed the bottle on the coffee table before sitting down. And he purposely chose to sit so awfully close to you, your knees barely grazing each other. The clown didn't speak another word as he took another swig of his wine. His arm conveniently draped around you, resting against the backrest of the couch. You tried your hardest not to peek at the man even from the close proximity. Your mind whirred wildly as you gripped your own bottle tightly.

_What does he mean by sending your minions home?_

_Did he hurt them? Did he possibly kill them?_

You bit your lips in frustration as your mind wandered around the worst case scenarios.

Silence hung in the air before he nudged your knee abruptly, noticing that you haven't had a drink for a while. 

"What did I tell you about loosening up, dar-ling" he whispered right at your ear. His breath smelled like wine and you unconsciously shrank away from him. Your body shuddered involuntarily.

"Uh, right" you downed the liquid in a hurry before the joker retracted himself. Leaning back into the soft cushions. The two of you drank in complete silence and it felt like thousands of years had passed. The suspense was killing you.

But as you downed the alcohol bit by bit your nerves started to calm down. Your mind was clouded and your world tilted slightly. Your cheeks were probably flushed by now. The alcohol started getting to your head as your body felt all warm and fuzzy.

And before you realized it, your bottle was already empty.

You comically pointed at the full bottle that was previously placed by the joker.

"My wine." The clown raised an eyebrow at your action. He watched as you grabbed the bottle and immediately slammed it against your mouth. Your body was moving on its own. It was as if any rational thought you ever had was thrown out of the window. Suddenly you didn't care who you were with or the fact that the man could easily end your life.

As easy as drinking the wine before you.

You then peered at him with squinted eyes. Your orbs went from his aloof painted face before focusing on the bottle in his hand. You pointed at it again.

"My wine" you snatched the bottle from his finger as you gulped. The joker only sat in silence as he studied your behaviors and snickered to himself. You couldn't make sense of the world as you kept drinking. The joker only shrugged and leaned back, closing his black painted lids. The gesture oddly made you feel offended as you stood to your feet shakily.

"What do you think you're doing?!" he only raised his eyebrow, his lids still closed. He lifted his arm halfheartedly. Showing you exactly what he was doing.

"Can't you see for yourself, darling?" he smacked his lips before snuggling into the cushion. Resting his head against the backrest as he let out a content sigh.

"Ugh, I just... can't with you" your words slurred as you wobbled left and right. Your eyes blinking with great effort.

"Wow. What a _surprise_ " he replied with complete ignorance. And it irked you to no end.

"You…” your words got caught in your throat as you stifled an incoming burp.

“You came here storming into my office, drinking my wine, ruining my life-"

"No no no no. _That_ I haven't done, doll. Not yet" through your alcohol induced mind, you couldn't really comprehend what he was saying but you still felt anger licking inside your chest.

“I fucking hate you."

"Yeah yeah. Same old news. Ah, would you stop meowing, kitty? I'm trying to get some sleep here" his hand went up to dismiss your words and you were totally furious. You immediately took big steps and pushed the man, his eyes instantly snapped open before his hand caught your own. His body was laid back against the cushions as he brought you tumbling down with him. The position was uncomfortable to say the least and you tried getting up only for him to push you back down.

"Ah, it's time for lil' kitty to sleep" he muttered lowly and his lids were already closed. Pinning you with the sheer strength of his arm. His chest heaved up and down as you tried to process the situation you're in.

But of course any of it didn't make sense.

Even without the alcohol in your system, you couldn't understand anything. And now, especially when it's in your body, nothing made sense nor mattered anymore.

His scent once again invaded you, but this time, surprisingly, it calmed your nerves down. Strangely, it brought a wave of nostalgia. So familiar yet foreign at the same time. Your lids became more and more droopy as time went by and you eventually closed them shut. Unable to resist the temptation. Listening to his even breaths and wrapped around his scent.

And it was the best sleep you ever had in days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and hereee is another chap! I was so exited when I first thought of this idea but now I'm like hmmmm (in the middle of doubting my own work and idk why the feeling just came and wouldn't leave) but i just wanna say a big big THANK YOU to [AngJo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngJo/pseuds/AngJo) for beta reading this whole chapter. You're too lovely seriously!!  
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! and stay safe!


	4. Four

Something warm and firm was pressed against you. Engulfing its gentle heat around your body. You shuffled closer, exhaling contently as you took in the scent it exuded. Your lids refused to budge as your mind slowly faded, leaving you in complete bliss. You felt something chapped brush delicately against your forehead before you dozed off again.

It felt so nice you never wanted it to end.

Your cheek was tapped and shoved vigorously, disrupting you from your slumber. You heard voices here and there but couldn't decipher them properly. Everything felt surreal as your head was still filled with drowsiness. The persistent tapping never stopped. You groaned and shoved whatever was bothering you, determined to go back to dreamland. But it came back and the taps only went harder when you refused to budge. The voices were becoming clearer now.

"Wakey wakey kitty"

You  scrunched your eyebrows together. It sounded somewhat... familiar. You opened your lids ever so slowly, annoyed by the continuous taps and shoves. You were gonna give whoever it was some good and thorough reprimanding for waking you up. 

But when you finally opened them, all of your previous thoughts just vanished into thin air. You were greeted by pools of smudged black painted rings, enveloping the same black orbs that glinted with mirth. You instantly froze at the sight. Your heart jumped to your throat.

"Rise and shineee, darling" he finished with a final shove, deliberately curling his tongue and shuffling out of your vision. You were wide eyed and completely awake now. He just slapped whatever drowsiness in your system and threw it out of the window. You blinked a few times before finally processing what was happening.

You immediately sat up, your eyes shot across the room wildly. The walls were plain concrete, not beige like you're used to. There's no plants anywhere, yours was filled with them. The TV was small and old, placed haphazardly on top of a small table. The one in your apartment was a wide screened digital TV. And no, your couch wasn't worn out like that, with bits of fabric falling out here and there. You snapped your gaze towards the bed you're currently on. The sheet looked like it hadn't been washed for some time. Stained with blotches of dark brownish red color. Yours was always sparkly clean.

Your head spun and your heart pounded loudly. Was this a dream? Maybe if you went back to sleep you'd wake up in your room.

Just then his high pitched giggles erupted from your side. You didn't even realize that he'd been standing there this whole time. He managed to speak between his heinous laughs.

"You should, ah see the look on your face, doll. So picture worthy" he snickered loudly.

You just couldn't believe this man.

"Where am I?" you also couldn't believe how stable your voice was, despite the raging storm inside your chest. The joker lifted his eyebrows and frowned almost comically. Both of his hands went up and motioned over the entire room.

"You're, ah right  _ he-re _ , darling." You huffed exasperatedly. The pain in your head absolutely didn't help with the whole situation.

_ Why was your head pounding again? _

"Am I being kidnapped?" you spoke mostly to yourself but of course he heard it.

"Wh- kidnapped? Ah heh heh" he started cackling again before clearing his throat.

"From what I remember, doll,  _ you're _ the one who didn't wanna let go of me so..." he trailed his eyes upwards, smacking his lips together.

"Wait what?"

The joker looked almost hurt by your response. He shuffled closer, sitting on the mattress making you instinctively back away.

"Don't tell me you, uh forget about our  fate-ful night together" he looked into your orbs insinuatingly, his tongue darting out, licking the split skin on his lips. The joker lowered his head while his eyes scanned your face, waiting for your reaction.

And that's when everything started to come back. His smile bloomed when he saw the realization in your orbs.

_ Oh god _

_ What have you done? _

You just couldn't believe yourself for being so stupid and passed out with a deadly clown by your side. You felt like punching yourself over and over but you knew it wouldn't improve the situation in any way. The joker grinned as he saw the stress you were in.

"You tricked me into drinking, didn't you?! So you could bring me here" you blurted out the words without a second thought and he squinted his dark eyes upon hearing it.

"And, ah why would I do that?"

"I don't know?! Why did you do anything at all?" you retorted weakly. Eyes refusing to meet his own, overwhelmed by your current predicament.

The joker nodded at that, thumb going under his chin, feigning to think.

"Hmm, fair enough" his tongue dragged across his lips. The motion made your stomach churn with anxiety. You're in front of a mass murderer for God's sake. Who knows what he'd do to you. The fact that you're still alive right now is a miracle in itself.

The Joker shoved himself closer towards you. Invading personal spaces seemed to be a recurrent hobby of his. His dark irises seemed to consume you whole as he got even closer. His pungent scent invaded you again, making your head  spin with dread. His almost jet black set of eyes darted around abruptly. Obsidian pools searching for something inside of your own. You felt like he was slowly penetrating your soul. Peeling your layers one by one with the sharpness of his gaze. You shuddered under his scrutinizing stare. His eyes flashed when he seemingly had caught something. And you didn't want to know what kind of sick thoughts just ran through his mind.

"You know, people are going to search for me soon enough" you tried to sound threatening but failed miserably. Your voice nothing but a mere trembling whisper. The glint in his eyes only glimmered with glee.

"Oh yeah? Just who will, kitty? Who?" you gulped harshly at his bone chilling tone. His smile grew when you didn't respond.

"What's the matter doll? Cat got your, uh  _ tongue _ ?" his hyena cackle boomed across the room. Startling you, causing your body to jump.

"You see, because you're so... ignorantly adorable, I'll tell ya' somethin'" the Joker got so unbearably close. His mangled lips grazing your ear. The marred skin on his face brushed against yours, sending shivers all over your body.

"Your, uh statement is not gonna happen, cause' I already told your precious lil'... Uhh what's she called again ..." he grumbled to himself for a second. His chest rumbled like the sound of a vicious animal. It only made your panic induced brain go haywire. You gripped the sheets unconsciously, desperate to cling  onto something . Anything. The joker snapped his fingers together as he seemed to have found the word he's searching for.

"Oh, yeah Graceee. Ya' see I told her-" he clicked his tongue.

"That you're currently on a looong vacation and no one is to disturb you even. a. little. bi-t" He ended with a near bite against your earlobe and you immediately stiffened.

_ What did he do to Grace? _

The joker sensed your fear and sneered. Retracting and hopping back onto his feet before gazing at the clock hanging on the wall.

"Oh would you look at the time." he started walking away and grabbed his purple coat. Shrugging it on as he wet his lips.

"As much as I want to continue our lil'... conversation, I've got, ah places to be and a mayor to kill" he said it so casually it almost went through your head but you managed to catch his words.

_ A mayor to kill _

"You can't possibly-"

"Hmmm?" he cut your words short as he peered towards you from over his shoulder, effectively shutting you up. You immediately went stiff as your eyes met his again. He shuffled his matching purple gloves on, clenching and unclenching his fist. A smirk dancing in his overly red lips.

"Ah, why don't you... stay here and be a good lil' kitty" He finished with shoving a knife into his pocket before sauntering to the door.

"I'll be back with some... uh treats. heh heh" he grinned and closed the door shut. An audible click was heard throughout the now silent room.

And you were doomed.

Just what on earth is happening right now?

You groaned and slammed your head with both of your palms. You were beyond frustrated. Why did you have to be in this situation? Just when you hoped that the world would be kinder to you, this happened. Your chest was tight with fear and your head pounded heavily.

You were kidnapped.

Kidnapped.

Despite whatever he said he kidnapped you and brought you here. Someplace you've never been before and you felt like you were going to go insane if this kept going. You've never prepared for this kind of event. The thought never even crossed your mind. You were hyperventilating and you wanted to scream. Maybe someone out there would hear you.

**No.**

Let's think this through.

You blinked rapidly and pursed your lips, inhaling deeply in order to calm yourself down. You didn't know if there was anyone outside. Maybe his goons were on standby and you'll be damned. Despite the thundering inside your chest you tried to rationalize your thoughts.

_ Let's search for something, anything. _

Your feet wobbled down and touched the concrete floor beneath. Your eyes wandered around again. He must've left something on mistake. And you're counting on that almost nonexistent possibility to calm yourself. Otherwise you might just snap and break down.

You began searching around, trying to find anything that could be of use. You went to the slightly ajar room first. Peeking through it before opening the door. It's the bathroom. Looking as disordered as the whole room you were in. You stepped in cautiously. Feeling as if he's still there, watching your every move. You immediately shoved that thought away.

_ Let's not make this whole thing even worse than it already was. _

You gazed at pots of grease paints on the sink. White, black, and red respectively. The mess there was evident. You could just imagine how the joker would apply those paints on his face while humming to himself. The image made you shudder again. You wet your dry lips and gulped. Trying to search for something of use with no avail. The only thing that caught your attention was the glimpse of your reflection on the stained mirror. You gazed at your current state. Smudged makeup, unruly tangled hair and an overly stressed face. You sighed loudly. It's only been a few minutes and you're already looking like a complete mess.

You immediately combed your hair down with your fingers. Attempting to look at least decent for your liking. After encouraging yourself, you went out of the bathroom. Wandering around the space before deciding to rummage the dresser just a few feet across the bed. You opened the drawer in haste only to find almost nothing other than clothes.

His clothes.

Apparently the joker didn't have that many variations in terms of clothing other than a few different patterns of dress shirts and vests that almost looked identical if you didn't compare them together. And you didn't know why you took the time to examine them and even made a mental note of his choice of outfits. You grunted and immediately went away from it. Doubt started clouding your mind thanks to your fruitless efforts. You ran a hand through your hair in frustration.

_ If this kept up you might just actually break down and cry. _

You decided to head towards the TV. Looking desperately across the table in hopes of anything. And of course there's also nothing. You huffed gruffly before shuffling towards the next thing. The fridge. Even though you're starting to feel skeptical about the whole situation. You opened the door, not even realizing that you're squinting your eyes. Half expecting something horrid to reside inside the thing. You're in the lair of a psychopath after all. Anything could happen. You were beyond relieved when you found nothing gruesome inside the electronic box but there's almost nothing as well. Only a carton of opened milk and a few cans of beers plus a pack of opened oreo. Your hopes were crushed even more.

You were already panting with desperation as you continued to search every nook and cranny of the room. But there's absolutely nothing. Nothing at all. There's not even a window to even look outside. You were completely trapped and you didn't have the slightest idea on what to do.

You slumped on the couch and curled in on yourself. Bringing your knees up to touch your face. Eyes already watering as you huffed in frustration and despair. You gazed at the string on your finger. Cursing your whole predicament towards the despicable fate you're in.

Towards the whole world.

Out of billions of people out there,  _ you're _ the one who's tied to this crazed maniac. Hot tears started streaming down your cheeks as you bit your lower lip. No one's going to come for you either. You didn't know if he was lying or not but you knew for a fact that the joker was a ridiculously smart guy. He managed to turn the city upside down in a short amount of time after all. Who knows what else he's got under his sleeves?

You only sobbed louder at that. You always thought you were stronger than this. You always thought that you wouldn't cry anymore. You promised yourself to never break down again. You've overcome countless obstacles in your life and you always came out strong. No matter how much you've fallen you always got back up. Your steps never faltered.

But not this time.

_ Not this time. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally an update!! this has been on my notes for sometime actually but I only have the time to edit it recently ehe. I remember having difficulties with the first paragraph but Jo kindly fixed that for me ugh. I really can't say thank you enough. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as well!! Don't forget to stay safe and healthy! I'm currently fumbling around ideas for future chapters and hopefully I'll be able to find one I like asap!!


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